Dental treatment of children under general anaesthesia combined with medical interventions in the same session – a 25 years retrospective study

Dental treatment of children under general anaesthesia combined with medical interventions in the same session - a 25 years retrospective study

Norderyd J*, Dyster-Aas A, Hallonsten A-L, Koch G

Aim

To analyse dental treatment under general anaesthesia (DGA) for children combined with medical treatment during the same session over a 25-year-period in a Swedish county.

Methods

Dental and anaesthesia records for all children 0-19 years of age who received DGA, including joint treatment with different medical specialities, during 1983 (n=50), 1993 (n=205), 2003 (n=161), and 2008 (n=182) in the county of Jönköping, Sweden, have been retrospectively analysed.

Results

Dental treatment in combination with medical interventions in the same general anaesthesia (GA) session was never performed in 1983, 21 times (10%) in 1993, 25 times (15%) in 2003, and 44 times (24%) in 2008. The majority of the children had a physical, mental, or medical disability. Dental treatment was combined with interventions from 1 – 5 different medical specialities at the same time. Dental treatment carried out was in 17 % examinations only, 30 % preventive care, 16% orthodontics, 29 % caries related, and 8 % others.

Conclusions

Combined dental and medical treatment during the same GA session has increased and this is favourable because it decreases GA for the child and family and facilitates optimal use of dental and medical resources for children with disabilities or medical conditions.